The Acalde's Trick
by KathyG
Summary: The alcalde frames Felipe for burglary and theft. Can Zorro prove his servant boy's innocence before the alcalde hangs him?


**THE **_**ALCALDE'S**_** TRICK**

**By KathyG.**

**The **_**alcalde**_** frames Felipe for burglary and theft. Can Zorro prove his servant boy's innocence before the **_**alcalde**_** hangs him?**

**Disclaimer: The name, character, and likeness of Zorro is a registered trademark of Zorro Productions Inc. These stories are not intended to infringe on their rights. The storylines and additional characters (not including Zorro/Don Diego, Don Alejandro, Felipe, Victoria Escalante, Sergeant Mendoza, and the **_**alcalde**_**) are copyrighted 1998-2003 by KathyG. (Some of these stories include the name of Felipe's horse, Parche. The horse's name is used with the permission of Ruth Parker, who invented the name to use in her own wonderful fanfiction. To access her Zorro stories, click on ~ .) These stories are made purely for entertainment purposes.**

Felipe trotted his gray-and-white pinto pony toward a gently sloping hill, as he rode north. To the east of him, the early-morning summer sun felt warm on his head. As a cool breeze caressed his face, he sighed contentedly.

Stopping by a squat tree, he paused. _Let's see,_ he thought, as he scratched a mosquito bite on his left arm. _Don Diego wants me to gather some herbs for his experiment. And then he wants me to go to town and buy some tomatoes for tonight's dinner._

Don Diego de la Vega and his father, Don Alejandro, were Felipe's _patróns_. The de la Vegas were enormously wealthy, influential _caballeros_. They lived in a beautiful, elegant _hacienda_ two miles west of Los Angeles, and their fruitful land consisted of hundreds of acres. Felipe, a young mute orphan who used to be deaf, had worked for them since he was seven years old. The evening before, Don Diego had asked Felipe to run some errands for him before the sun had a chance to turn hot.

As Felipe gathered up the reins to make his Indian pony go forward, he saw something glittering in the early-morning sunlight on the hill up ahead. Another tree rose above it.

_What is that?_ he wondered silently. _I think I'll go and see._

He dug his feet into the pony's sides, and the pony trotted forward. When it reached the hill, Felipe pulled the reins. The pony halted.

Felipe's mouth dropped open. _It's a brooch!_ he thought. _But what's it doing here?_

Felipe climbed down and patted the pony's neck. He bent over and stared at the brooch for a long moment. The brooch consisted of a cluster of sparkling diamonds resting on a gold-colored base. It lay on a thick layer of dirt that covered large segments of the gray stone hill.

_It's very pretty,_ Felipe thought. _Could someone have lost it? Or was it stolen?_ He frowned. _Who could have dropped this brooch?_ He rubbed the back of his neck.

As he yanked out the handkerchief to wipe his face, he decided to take the brooch home with him and show it to his _patróns_. Surely, Don Diego would know whom it belonged to. He reached down to pick it up.

As Felipe grasped the brooch, a tiny wooden lever swung upward from underneath the dirt, startling the boy and whacking his fingers. In the next instant, as he winced in pain, a wooden bucket dropped upside-down on his head, blocking his vision. Dirt poured on his head and covered his white homespun cotton shirt. Startled, Felipe dropped the brooch.

Too late, as he yanked the bucket off his head and tossed it to the ground, he saw the taut white thread that rose from the base of the lever to the tree branch above his head.

_Somebody's played a joke!_ he thought angrily, as he brushed the dirt off his shirt and wiped it off his head. _This isn't funny at all!_

As Felipe yanked out his handkerchief again, to wipe the dirt off his face, he heard hoofbeats clumping behind him. Out of habit, he pretended not to hear them, but slowly turned around, examining the ground as if looking for the brooch he had dropped. He raised his head and froze. The _alcalde_ and a group of lancers were approaching!

"Well, well, well." The _alcalde_ smirked evilly as he halted his horse in front of the boy, who stood stock-still, staring up at him. "So, the de la Vega servant boy is just a common thief. Don Diego and Don Alejandro will be most interested to learn this, and so will the de la Calderons."

Felipe swallowed hard. So, the brooch had been used to bait a trap! His stomach churned, and his palms grew moist.

"You are under arrest for breaking into the de la Calderon _hacienda_ and stealing their possessions," the _alcalde_ went on. He motioned to the soldiers. "Arrest him!"

Sergeant Mendoza dismounted and slowly approached Felipe. He laid a hand on Felipe's shoulder. "Felipe, forgive me," he said sadly. "You know I don't want to do this to you. But orders are orders."

Felipe looked down and nodded. A heavy stone settled in his stomach.

Sergeant Mendoza gently took the boy's arm and led him toward his own horse, as the _alcalde_ and the other soldiers followed. After Felipe climbed back on his pony, the _alcalde_ picked up a small coil of rope that was wrapped around his saddlehorn. "Tie the boy's hands." The _alcalde_ tossed the rope to the sergeant.

Mendoza sighed and turned to Felipe. "I have to tie your hands, _amigo_."

Felipe grimaced and nodded again. He did not resist as Mendoza reluctantly tied the boy's hands in front of him. Felipe stared unhappily down at his rope-bound wrists.

Mendoza mounted his own horse and took the pony's reins. As the group began to trot toward town, Felipe grabbed the saddlehorn so he wouldn't fall off. _I'm in real trouble!_ he thought.

Felipe could have cursed himself. Why hadn't he been more cautious? Now, the _alcalde_ was going to jail him and maybe hang him! All he could do now was to pray that Don Diego would ride as Zorro and save him quickly.

A half-hour later, Felipe, the soldiers, and the _alcalde_ entered the _plaza_. Since it was still early morning, no one was out and about, yet. Sergeant Mendoza swung off his horse and helped Felipe down. No one saw the tavern door crack open. No one saw a pair of angry brown eyes peek out at the commotion in front of the _alcalde's_ office.

**ZZZZZ**

At the de la Vega _hacienda_, Don Diego and his father squatted in the front garden, pulling weeds. "I hope Felipe gets back soon." Diego glanced at the sun. "I need those herbs for my experiment."

"He will," Don Alejandro assured him, as he rose to his feet. He removed a fine linen handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his face. He then pulled his gold timepiece out of his pocket and glanced at it. "It's not even ten o' clock yet, and already it's sweltering hot!" he growled. "As soon as we're done, Diego, let's go to the tavern and get some lemonade."

Don Diego nodded. "Excellent idea. I'm terribly thirsty, already."

"Excuse me?" A deep, cultivated male voice spoke behind them.

The de la Vegas turned around to see a _caballero_ wearing a dark-brown broadcloth jacket and a snow-white silk shirt. He sat tall and straight on a light-brown thoroughbred stallion prancing just outside the gate.

A row of shiny gold buttons lined the front of the _caballero's charro_ jacket. One of them seemed to be missing.

The gentleman gazed down at them. "How much farther is it to Los Angeles, _señores_?"

"Two miles to the east." Don Diego pointed.

_"Gracias."_ The man touched his hat and rode off.

Don Diego watched the _caballero's_ horse raise a cloud of dust. As Diego turned around to resume weeding, Don Alejandro suddenly gripped his shoulder. "Diego, look! Victoria's coming."

Don Diego whirled around. Sure enough, Victoria Escalante, the tavern owner, was galloping her mare toward them. As she approached the gate, Don Diego saw a grim expression on her face.

Don Diego's stomach felt queasy. When Victoria came to their home looking like that, it meant that something was terribly wrong. He wondered if the _alcalde_ had made a new tax or arrested some innocent farmer.

"Whoa!" Victoria ordered; her horse halted. She dismounted and tied the horse's reins to the hitching post.

"Victoria!" Don Diego said, his eyebrows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

Victoria leaned against her horse to catch her breath and to straighten her bright-red skirt. "Don Diego-Don Alejandro-Felipe's been arrested!" she said, between gulps.

"He's been _what_?!" Don Diego grabbed her shoulders.

"Arrested!" Victoria repeated. "By the _alcalde_ himself!"

Don Diego gaped at her in shock. Sweat broke out on his palms. "When did this happen?" he asked, hoarsely.

"I saw it three hours ago, when the _alcalde_ and his soldiers brought him in." Victoria rubbed her forehead. "Sergeant Mendoza just told me why. Felipe's been accused of breaking into the de la Calderon _hacienda_ last night-the _alcalde_ claims he stole some of their treasured possessions. I came here as soon as I safely could."

The de la Vegas stared at each other in shock. Don Alejandro pursed his lips together.

"Come on, Diego," he said. "Let's go to town and see if we can get Felipe out. This is one of the _alcalde's_ tricks. I know it." His voice sounded grim.

"Yes," Diego agreed. "Felipe would _never_ steal from _anyone_."

Don Alejandro touched Victoria's arm. "Thank you for coming out and telling us."

"You're welcome." Victoria mounted her horse. "I'll wait for you in town."

The de la Vegas hurried to the stables and saddled their horses. "That-_swine_!" Don Alejandro muttered, as he swung onto his white mare, Dulcinea. "That-that-_viper_!" Don Diego nodded agreement.

Sitting tall and straight in their saddles, as befitted gentlemen, the de la Vegas rode east. As they raced to town, Don Diego thought about the _alcalde's_ years of tyranny and injustice. Don Luis Ramon was a cruel, greedy, dishonest man. More than once, he had used bandits to rob people, or had stolen things himself. On some of those occasions, the _alcalde_ had pinned his crimes on innocent people.

Don Diego felt sure that such was just what the _alcalde_ was doing now. Somehow, the _alcalde_ had stolen some priceless objects from the de la Calderons, and now, he was pinning his crime on Felipe! But how could Diego prove it?

"Diego?" Don Alejandro cut into his son's reverie. "I'm sure the _alcalde_ himself is responsible for the theft." He stared straight ahead as he spoke.

"And I'm sure you're right." Diego shook his head. "Remember when he framed Enrique Vargas for a bank hold-up?"

"How could I forget?" Don Alejandro growled.

Diego thought about it for a moment. "He had embezzled some of the bank's funds, so he staged the robbery and then framed Señor Vargas."

"Yes, and I'm sure he's done something very similar now. He probably hired a henchman to rob the couple, and now he's framed Felipe for the crime." Don Alejandro shook his head. "Unless Zorro helps him, Felipe will surely hang."

Don Diego's stomach turned queasy at the thought. He pursed his lips into a thin line of determination, as he yanked out his linen handkerchief and wiped his perspiring face.

Minutes later, the de la Vegas trotted through the _plaza_ gate and tied their horses at the hitching post in front of the tavern. Victoria joined them, and the three strode into the _alcalde's_ office.

Inside, they found the de la Calderons talking to the _alcalde_. The _alcalde_ leered as the de la Vegas and Victoria entered. "So, the de la Vegas have come to plead for their thieving servant."

"This is ridiculous!" Don Alejandro exploded. "Felipe is a _good_ boy who would _never_ steal _anything_!" He looked from the _alcalde_ to his friend, Don Alfonso de la Calderon, as he spoke.

"Ah, but he did." The _alcalde_ wagged his finger. "He was caught red-handed with a diamond brooch belonging to the de la Calderons." He held up the brooch for display, then handed it to Doña Elena. She pinned it on the front of her blue silk gown.

Don Diego felt angry. There was no doubt in his mind that this was a trick of the _alcalde's_. He must save Felipe! But how?

"How much is the bail?" Diego asked.

"I'm not setting any bail." The _alcalde_ sat down at his pine desk. "The boy will stay behind bars until he's been properly sentenced. Otherwise, you might help him escape."

Don Alejandro looked at Diego and grimaced. "We'd like to see him."

The _alcalde_ shook his head. "The boy can have no visitors. Now, _go_! I'm busy." He glared at the de la Vegas and waved toward the door.

Don Diego sighed. He nodded to the de la Calderons, who looked uncertain. _They probably don't know whom to believe._ As he trudged out the door after his father, he shook his head and pursed his lips.

After closing the door, Diego motioned to his father and Victoria to stand still and make no sound. Together, the three of them listened.

"You need look no further for the thief," Diego overheard the _alcalde_ say. "He's locked up in my jail and will be hung very soon."

Don Alejandro clenched his fists. He stalked toward the tavern, followed by Don Diego and Victoria. "Diego, we must do something!" he exploded, when they reached the tavern's terrace.

Diego nodded agreement. "I agree. But what?"

"This is a job for Zorro," Victoria said. "Only he can save Felipe from being hung. If only we had some way of telling him!"

Don Diego looked down at his ruffled sleeve. This was, indeed, a job for Zorro. _I didn't let the_ alcalde_ hang Enrique Vargas,_ he thought. _And I won't let him hang Felipe, either! Zorro rides tonight._

**ZZZZZ**

That night, after Don Alejandro had gone to bed, Don Diego entered the cave behind the library. He put on his Zorro costume and saddled Toronado.

"This is a most important trip, boy," he told the coal-black stallion. "You and I must rescue Felipe."

A minute later, Zorro was galloping Toronado toward town.

When Zorro approached the _cuartel_ from behind, minutes later, he saw a crowd of lancers milling about. He carefully circled the town and stopped between the tavern and another building, across from the _cuartel_. Another crowd of lancers milled about in front of the _alcalde's_ office, talking and laughing.

Zorro shook his head and grimaced. With so many soldiers surrounding the _cuartel_, it would be impossible for him to sneak into jail and free his servant boy. _The_ alcalde_ must have anticipated my coming,_ Zorro thought. _I'll have to find another way._

Suddenly, an idea flashed into his mind. Perhaps, Victoria could help!

**ZZZZZ**

Victoria couldn't sleep. As she lay in bed, she tossed and turned restlessly. Felipe's face kept coming to her mind.

"What can we do?" she asked herself, over and over. "Felipe's just a boy; he must be frightened! How can I help him if I can't even see him? There must be a way!"

"There is," a familiar cultured male voice said outside her window, at last.

Victoria sprang out of bed. She pulled on her robe and rushed to the window. "Zorro!" she cried, as she opened it. Zorro climbed inside and kissed her hand. "Have you come to rescue Felipe?" she asked.

Zorro shook his head. "There are too many soldiers outside, and doubtless more inside. The _alcalde_ must have anticipated my coming." He touched Victoria's shoulder. "I need to find a way to clear Felipe's name."

"How?"

Zorro paused. "I've thought of a way, but I need your help."

"Anything! What do you want me to do?"

"First, would you light a candle?"

Victoria lit a candle while Zorro drew a small notepad and pencil from inside his cloak. He scribbled a note and gave it to Victoria, who scanned it.

"Tomorrow, Victoria, would you take a basket of food to Felipe?" Zorro asked. "Hide this note inside one of the pieces of food so the soldiers won't find it. I'll stop at the de la Vega _hacienda_ on my way back, and leave a note for Don Diego to come by the tavern tomorrow. You can tell him what you find out."

Victoria nodded. "I will. Will you be in touch with Don Diego after I tell him?"

Zorro nodded. "Yes, I will. Please, somehow, get word to Felipe that he must eat everything you place in his basket."

"What do you hope to find out with this information?"

Zorro paused. When he spoke, his voice was grim. "I hope to get the information that will clear Felipe of stealing."

He kissed Victoria's hand again, then climbed out the window. Victoria slipped the note underneath her pillow.

**ZZZZZ**

The following afternoon, Felipe sat slumped on the thin, lumpy cot in his cell, staring down at the wooden rosary that dangled from his fingers. It was a legacy from his late mother, who had perished with his father during a battle near the end of the revolution. Felipe had been seven years old, then.

_What's going to happen to me?_ Felipe wondered, as he idly toyed with the rosary. _Can Zorro get me out of here tonight?_ He sighed. _This is my second day in this rotten jail. It's late afternoon. How much longer must I wait for rescue?_ The boy sighed and leaned against the rough, cold _adobe_ wall.

As Felipe stared down at his lap, he thought about the many times he had helped Zorro to rescue someone else. Once, for example, Zorro had saved Don Alejandro and some peasants from being hung unjustly for escaping jail and for opposing the _alcalde's_ tyranny. On another occasion, Zorro had rescued Victoria from hanging when the _alcalde_ had framed her for murder. Still another time, not long before, Zorro had rescued Enrique Vargas, a passing traveler who lived in Monterey, when the _alcalde_ had accused him of robbing a bank and sentenced him to be hung.

Felipe could only trust that Zorro would now be able to rescue him from a similar fate. He sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead with his cotton sleeve.

A door clicked open and slammed shut. Felipe did not look up until a familiar plump form wearing a military uniform appeared before him in the next cell.

"Felipe, don't be scared," Sergeant Mendoza said softly. "I know you wouldn't steal, and if it was up to me, you'd be released in a minute. I'm sure Zorro will help you. He always helps people who are unjustly imprisoned."

Felipe nodded. What Mendoza had just said was true.

"The _alcalde_ has ordered me to guard you, tonight," the sergeant said. "I will pray for you, Felipe, that you will be cleared."

Felipe nodded his gratitude as Sergeant Mendoza left. For the next hour, he repeatedly asked God to save him, holding the rosary in his right hand.

However, as Felipe prayed, he couldn't stop worrying. There was a world of difference, he had discovered, between helping Zorro get others out of jail and sitting in need of such help himself. At least, before, he had always known what Zorro himself knew, and what Zorro was going to do. This time, he didn't have the slightest idea what Don Diego would do to save him, or if Don Diego even knew where he was.

_I didn't think he would find me when Señora Deranosa and her partner kidnapped me,_ he reminded himself. _She pretended to be my mother, so Don Diego had no way of knowing who she really was or what she meant to do with me. But he found out-thanks to Señorita Escalante and her brother, Francisco-and he saved me. Surely, he'll find out the trouble I'm in, now. By now, he knows something has happened to me._

Try as he did, Felipe could not free his heart of the doubts and misgivings that plagued it. _Yes, Don Diego knows I'm missing, but does he know where I am?_ his anxious heart argued.

A door creaked open. As Felipe glanced up from praying, Sergeant Mendoza approached the boy's cell, holding a cloth-covered basket. The sergeant unlocked the cell door and stepped inside.

"Felipe, Señorita Escalante has just sent you some food." He set the basket on the edge of the cot. "She's worried that you haven't been eating properly since we brought you here. She asks that you eat every bite."

Mendoza gently laid a hand on Felipe's shoulder. "You _will_ eat every bite, _si_? You need to keep up your strength."

Reluctantly, Felipe nodded. He didn't really feel like eating, and he had, in fact, eaten only one or two bites of every meal Sergeant Mendoza had brought him. However, Felipe didn't have the heart to let Señorita Escalante down; he knew she was worried enough as it was. For her sake, he would try.

Sergeant Mendoza nodded approvingly. "I'll be back in an hour to fetch the basket. Señorita Escalante wants it back when you've finished eating." He stepped out of the cell and locked the door. "We'll play a game of cards again, tonight."

Felipe smiled his thanks. He grasped the cloth that covered the basket and glanced at the contents underneath. Two roasted chicken breasts, a piece of cake, a square of strawberry custard, an orange, and a glass of lemonade lay inside. On top of it all lay a folded napkin, and a notepad and pencil.

_Please, Felipe, eat every bite,_ Victoria had written on the front page. _I know it's hard to eat, now, but please try. Eat small bites, please; don't gulp anything down. Zorro will rescue you, never fear. Victoria Escalante._

Felipe smiled again, and took heart. If Señorita Escalante knew of his ordeal, so did the de la Vegas.

As Felipe sniffed the savory smells that wafted from the basket, he found his appetite. He ate the two chicken breasts first, then munched on the pieces of fruit. He sipped the lemonade, then chewed on the piece of cake.

When Felipe bit into the square of strawberry custard, something crinkled between his teeth. He opened his mouth and stared at the custard.

A folded piece of paper stuck its edge out of the side of the custard that bore his teeth marks.

Felipe carefully tugged the paper out of the custard and unfolded it. Don Diego's handwriting covered the piece of paper. _Don't worry, Felipe,_ the note stated. _Zorro will get you out and clear your name; you have his word on that. Please write down on the notepad how the_ alcalde_ framed you, and name the spot where it happened. Lay your note down on the bottom on the basket, covered by the napkin and the cloth. Victoria will take your message to Don Diego. Zorro. P.S. Please eat this note so the_ alcalde_ and his soldiers won't discover it._

Felipe smiled gratefully. He ate the piece of paper immediately; it crackled between his teeth. He then finished the custard and set the basket down on the floor.

He laid the notepad on his knees. He took a deep breath, picked up the pencil, and began to write. His hand felt sweaty as he gripped the pencil. For the next 15 minutes, he wrote on four sheets, front and back, a thorough explanation of the incident that had happened the previous morning.

At last, Felipe folded the four pieces of paper together and laid them on the bottom of the basket. He covered the message carefully with the refolded napkin and the folded cloth.

As the boy set the basket on the floor, Sergeant Mendoza returned. "All finished?" he asked, cheerfully. Felipe nodded. The sergeant picked up the basket and glanced inside. "_Bueno._ I'll take it back to the _señorita_." He locked the cell door behind him and left.

Felipe leaned against the wall and sighed. _Will this be enough?_ he wondered, scowling down at the dark smudges of dirt on his shirt. _Can Zorro help me? He lay on his back. Don Diego loves me. I know he's going to try his hardest to save me._

He shifted restlessly. _This bed's so uncomfortable! And it's so dark in here. There's nothing to do. And I'm so hot!_

**ZZZZZ**

Sergeant Mendoza stepped into the empty tavern and approached Victoria as she dusted a table. "He ate every bite," the sergeant announced.

Victoria smiled. "I'm so glad! He needed to eat."

Sergeant Mendoza handed her the basket; she took it upstairs to her room and slipped Felipe's note into her skirt pocket. When she returned to the first floor, she saw the sergeant leaning against the bar. _"Señorita,"_ Mendoza said, "the _alcalde_ left the _cuartel_ an hour ago."

"Oh?" Victoria picked up the dustcloth and proceeded to dust the next table.

The sergeant nodded. "_Si,_ he's doing some business with a visiting _caballero_."

"Don Carlos Bajio?" Victoria paused to glance at him.

"You know him?" Mendoza stared at her.

"He's got a room in the tavern." Victoria resumed dusting.

Sergeant Mendoza approached her. Lowering his voice, he told her, "If you wish to visit Felipe, _señorita,_ you can do it now, while the _alcalde's_ out." He paused. "For a short time, that is."

Victoria stopped dusting. She straightened upward to think. "A visit _would_ cheer up Felipe." She laid the dustcloth on the bar. "All right. I'll go."

She followed the sergeant to the _cuartel_. As they entered the _alcalde's_ office, Mendoza bumped his knee against the corner of the desk. For a moment, he gripped his knee till his knuckles turned white.

When he straightened up, he froze, blanched, and stared at the door. "Listen!" he whispered.

Victoria stood stock-still. To her horror, she heard the _alcalde_ speaking on the porch!

"Out of here! Quick!" Mendoza whispered hoarsely. He led the way into the hall that led toward the barracks. He and Victoria stood behind the door and listened.

The front door creaked open and slammed shut. "You will get your share soon," the alcalde said.

"I want it now," a man said. Victoria recognized his voice as that of Don Carlos Bajio, who had rented a room in the tavern that morning. She glanced at the sergeant, who nodded. Evidently, he had recognized the man's voice, too.

"He's the one the _alcalde_ has business with," Mendoza whispered. Victoria nodded.

"I said I want it now," the _don_ repeated. "You hired me to rob a rich _caballero_ of his prize possessions, in exchange for granting me immunity from the charge I am accused of. And you promised me a share of the loot. I've kept my side of the bargain, _alcalde_."

"And I shall keep mine," the _alcalde_ said. "But first, I must sell the goods you stole for me from the de la Calderons. I've not yet had a chance to go to San Diego and do that."

A pause. Don Carlos asked, "Uh, _alcalde,_ how are you going to explain the robbery to the de la Calderons?"

"That's been taken care of," the _alcalde_ said. "Tomorrow at dawn, a local peasant boy will hang for the crime. I set up a trap early yesterday morning, using one of the stolen items, and the boy stepped right into it. I've already ordered the lancers to build the gallows, this evening. Don't worry, Don Carlos, you have nothing to fear." A pause. "When I've sold the stolen items, I will give you the percentage I promised. You will then be free to leave the territory and go to Spain. Nobody will suspect you of the theft, because the boy in my jail will have been hung."

Victoria and Mendoza gaped at each other in shock. Victoria had heard enough. She gestured to the sergeant, who led her down the hall to the courtyard. She could hardly wait to get to the de la Vega _hacienda_. She could not wait for Don Diego to come to the tavern; she had to give him and his father the information, immediately!

**ZZZZZ**

Victoria galloped her mare toward the _hacienda_. As she reached the gate, she swung her legs and slipped off the horse. Without bothering to tie her horse first, she raced toward the polished mahogany door and pounded it.

The door swung open; Don Diego stood in the doorway. "Victoria!" he gasped. "Come in; come in!"

Victoria stepped into the drawing room. Don Alejandro rose from the silk brocade couch and stepped toward her. "Victoria! What's wrong?" He frowned.

Victoria leaned against an armchair, panting. A few minutes later, she said, "You were right. The _alcalde_ is behind the theft, and tomorrow at dawn, he's going to hang Felipe!"

Don Diego and his father stared at each other in shock. "I knew it," Don Alejandro said grimly. Don Diego nodded agreement, pursing his lips together.

"Tell us what you know," Diego urged.

Victoria sat down and told the de la Vegas about the discussion she and Sergeant Mendoza had overheard. At Don Diego's insistence, she described Don Carlos, and explained that he had a room at the tavern.

Don Diego and Don Alejandro stared at each other. "That's the man who came to our _hacienda_, yesterday morning, and asked for directions to Los Angeles," Don Alejandro said.

Victoria handed Don Diego the note from Felipe. The de la Vegas read it together. "I'll see that Zorro gets this information," Don Diego said. "He told me he would be in touch."

"Good." Victoria nodded. _"Adios."_ She left.

Don Diego turned to his father. "If you don't mind, Father, I must find Zorro."

Don Alejandro nodded, grim-faced. "While you do that, son, I'll go to town and see if I can reason with the _alcalde_." He left the room.

_My father will not hesitate to denounce the_ alcalde_,_ Don Diego thought. _If he's not careful, he'll find himself sitting in a cell next to Felipe's. I must act quickly._

He glanced at his gold timepiece. "It'll be dark in a few hours," he muttered. "I'd better hurry!"

**ZZZZZ**

As Zorro rode Toronado toward the spot where Felipe had been framed, rage surged in his heart. He pursed his lips together and shook his head. How _dare_ the _alcalde_ do such a terrible thing to a young boy?! Or to _any_ innocent person?!

He reached the spot. He dismounted and examined the devices carefully. "So, these are the devices the _alcalde_ used to frame Felipe!" Zorro muttered.

He removed the lever and thread, and stuck them into his sash. He set the bucket upside-down on the saddlehorn, then mounted Toronado. His next task was to visit the de la Calderons and enlist their support.

When he arrived at the de la Calderon _hacienda_, he grasped the bucket, climbed in through a window into the drawing room, and hid behind the door.

"Zorro!" Don Alfonso de la Calderon stepped in front of him and gaped. "What in the name of Heaven are you doing here?!"

Zorro showed him the bucket. He removed the thread and lever from the sash, and displayed them. "With these devices and your wife's brooch, Don Alfonso, Felipe was framed. Unless we work together, you and I, an innocent young man is going to hang at dawn for a crime the _alcalde_ committed."

Don Alfonso frowned. "The _alcalde_ said he had arrested someone for the theft-the de la Vega servant boy."

"_Si._ Falsely."

The aged _don_ invited Zorro to sit down. His wife, Doña Elena, sat down next to her husband. "Are you saying that the _alcalde_, himself, is behind it all?" Don Alfonso frowned. Zorro nodded. Don Alfonso looked grim.

For the next 15 minutes, Zorro explained the situation to the de la Calderons. He showed them Felipe's note.

"Felipe is a loyal, well-behaved young man," Zorro said, at the end of his speech. "The de la Vegas have brought him up carefully."

The de la Calderons glanced at each other. "That's true," Don Alfonso admitted. "We've known the de la Vegas all our lives, and we've known Felipe since they first took him in. This does not sound like him."

"How can we help him?" Doña Elena leaned forward and frowned in concern.

Zorro sat back. "There are two things you can do. First, when you searched the scene of the theft, did you find any objects that the thief might have left behind?"

Don Alfonso nodded. "I did. This afternoon. I searched the area twice, and found this hidden underneath the edge of the carpet."

He reached into an inside jacket pocket and drew out his fist. He held it out to Zorro and opened it wide. A shiny gold button lay on his palm. Zorro picked it up and examined it carefully.

"All my coats and jackets have silver buttons," Don Alfonso explained. "I don't care for gold."

Zorro nodded. "Felipe has no buttons that match this description, _señor,_ but the _caballero_ who's staying at the tavern does," he told the de la Calderons. "Don Diego told me that when Don Carlos Bajio stopped at the de la Vega _hacienda_ to ask for directions, a button was missing from his coat."

Doña Elena shook her head. "Poor Felipe. Alfonso, we must help him!"

Don Alfonso nodded. "I agree. Zorro, what do you want us to do?"

Zorro handed the aged _don_ the button. "First, keep this button, for now. Second, plan on being in the _plaza_ at dawn, tomorrow. Have the button with you when you do."

"And what will you do, Señor Zorro?" Doña Elena gazed at the masked man.

Zorro pursed his lips. "I will present Don Carlos Bajio!"

The de la Calderons glanced at each other and nodded. "We'll be there," Don Alfonso assured Zorro. "You have our word."

Zorro stood up, bowed, and left the _hacienda_. The sun, now orange, was dipping close to the horizon. _It will soon be dark,_ he thought. _I must hurry!_

**ZZZZZ**

Minutes later, Zorro entered the tavern's kitchen, with the sounds of hammering ringing in his ears. The soldiers were constructing the gallows in the _plaza_.

A moment after he stepped inside, Victoria entered the kitchen, balancing a tray in her right hand. "Zorro!" she gasped, and smiled. "Are you going to help Felipe?"

"Indeed, I am." Zorro smiled back, took the tray, and set it on the table. He kissed her hand. "Where is Don Carlos Bajio?"

Victoria slumped her shoulders. "He checked out, an hour ago."

Zorro sighed and shook his head. "Then I must find him. Did he tell you where he was going?"

"Only that he had urgent business in San Diego-the same town where the _alcalde_ intends to fence the stolen items. Please, hurry!" Victoria grabbed his arm. "The gallows is being erected, now! Hear the sound of hammering?"

Zorro nodded and thanked her. "Don't worry; I won't let Felipe hang on it."

He left the tavern and rode south. _Don Carlos Bajio,_ he thought, _you will pay dearly for getting my boy Felipe in trouble! You, too,_ alcalde_!_ He pressed his lips together into a thin line of rage.

As Zorro rode toward San Diego, he soon found a horse's hoofprints. For the next several hours, he followed them.

The orange sun dipped below the horizon. Gradually, the sky darkened and the stars appeared. The moon slowly rose above the horizon. The cool night breeze whispered into Zorro's ear and ruffled his silk cape.

At last, the hoofprints disappeared into a ravine. Zorro followed them cautiously; he did not want to give his presence away. Minutes later, he saw the thieving _don_ and his stallion asleep next to a campfire. Don Carlos slept several feet from the roaring blaze, wrapped in his wool cape.

Zorro tiptoed toward Don Carlos. Suddenly, a twig snapped under his left boot. Startled, Don Carlos jumped to his feet and stared at the masked marauder.

"Zorro!" he gasped. "I might have known! The _alcalde_ warned me you might come after me!" He unsheathed his rapier. "I'm going to kill you, bandit!"

Zorro unsheathed his heavy Toledo-steel saber. "We'll see about that. _En garde!_"

For the next several minutes, the two gentlemen lunged, parried, stepped backwards and forwards, etc.; their swords clanged constantly. At last, Zorro disarmed Don Carlos, carved a Z on the front of his jacket, and backed him against a tree.

"An innocent young man is about to hang for a crime _you_ committed!" Zorro hissed, as he tied Don Carlos' hands behind him. As Don Carlos started to protest, Zorro warned, "No words, _señor,_ or you die instantly. Come with me!" He shoved his prisoner toward the stallion, which stood quietly near Toronado.

**ZZZZZ**

Felipe fidgeted restlessly on the hard bunk. The thin, straw-filled mattress crackled under him as he squirmed; the lumps of straw dug into his back. He had not slept all night. The evening before, the _alcalde_ had told him that he was going to hang at dawn.

_Will Zorro save me?_ he kept asking himself. _Can he?_

Shafts of early-morning sunlight gleamed through the window; bars of light alternated with bars of shadow on the floor below. It was dawn. Unless Don Diego had learned about the upcoming hanging, Felipe would be dead very soon. He shivered at the thought, as he sat up.

The door to the _alcalde's_ office creaked open. Felipe watched Sergeant Mendoza and the _alcalde_ approach his cell with three other soldiers and Padre Benitez.

"It's time, Felipe," Mendoza said, sadly, as he unlocked the cell door. "I'm sorry, _amigo,_ but I'm going to have to tie your hands again."

As the _alcalde_ watched and smirked, a lancer turned Felipe around and tied his hands behind his back. The _alcalde_ and the lancers marched Felipe outside through the _cuartel_ gates. A drummer marched in front and banged a loud drumroll; Padre Benitez followed, praying for the boy's soul.

The rope dug into Felipe's wrists; his hands felt numb and tingly. Felipe's stomach felt queasy. His knees buckled; Mendoza grabbed the boy to keep him from falling. "Pray," he mouthed, as he steadied the boy. Felipe nodded.

The gallows stood in front of the _alcalde's_ office. A crowd of peasants and _caballeros_, men and women, stood in the background, booing the _alcalde_ loudly. Felipe scanned the crowd as the soldiers marched him toward the gallows.

"Release the boy!" one man shouted.

"_Alcalde,_ this is one of your tricks!" a woman shouted. "Felipe is innocent!"

"Shame on you, _alcalde_!" Victoria's angry voice rose above the others. "Felipe _is_ innocent, and you know it!"

Felipe took a deep breath. The soldiers took him up the steps onto the platform. The _alcalde_ faced the angry crowd and raised his hands. _"Silencio!"_ he commanded.

Reluctantly, the crowd quieted.

Felipe swallowed. Unless Zorro shows up now, this is it! His heart pounded, and he took a deep breath. He felt dizzy and lightheaded. The crowd of angry, concerned faces blurred, and the buildings started to whirl.

_No! I won't faint!_ he told himself sternly, as he fought to stay conscious. _I won't make Don Diego ashamed of me. I won't!_

The _alcalde_ unrolled a parchment. "'Be it known that the de la Vega servant boy, known as Felipe, is hereby found guilty of burglary and theft,'" he read out loud. "'The sentence is that he is to be hanged.'" He rolled up the parchment. "Proceed, sergeant."

Suddenly, a familiar, cultured voice shouted, "Since when does the law punish the innocent and acquit the guilty?"

Felipe froze. He blinked his eyes and shook his head violently to clear his vision. He then stared at the roof of the tavern.

A black-cloaked figure stood on the church roof; the crowd cheered shrilly. "Zorro!" Victoria cried, joyfully.

Felipe sagged with relief; the feeling of faintness receded. Zorro was there! Zorro had come to rescue Felipe! Mixed with the boy's relief was a feeling of guilt for having doubted Zorro.

_Gracias de Dios!_ Felipe prayed, silently. He leaned against the railing to watch.

"Lancers!" the _alcalde_ shouted. "Fire!"

The soldiers aimed their rifles and fired; the figure fell down. _No!_ Felipe felt sick. _He's dead! Zorro is dead!_ He squeezed his eyes shut in horror.

"I wouldn't rejoice just now, if I were you, _alcalde_."

As Felipe opened his eyes again, Zorro stepped around the corner of the _cuartel_, grasping the arms of a squirming Don Carlos Bajio.

Felipe sighed with relief, and relaxed. _It's just a stick figure wearing Zorro's cape and hat,_ he thought. _He must have put it up on the roof to draw the soldiers' fire. Thank Heavens!_

"_This_ is the man who robbed the de la Calderons!" Zorro glanced at the crowd as he gripped Don Carlos' arm. "Is Don Alfonso de la Calderon here?"

"_Si,_ Señor Zorro!" Don Alfonso stepped forward and approached Zorro. His wife followed closely behind.

"And what proof do you have?" The _alcalde's_ voice sounded ice-cold. He scowled fiercely at the aged _don_.

Don Alfonso glared at him. "This!" He held up the gold button. "The thief dropped this when he robbed our _hacienda_. Don Alejandro told me, when I visited the de la Vegas last night, that this man-" He pointed at Don Carlos. "-stopped to ask for directions, and that one of the buttons on his jacket was missing!"

"Good people of Los Angeles!" Zorro announced. "Since when does a _servant_ wear gold buttons such as the one Don Alfonso is holding? _Or_ the buttons lining this gentleman's coat, which that button matches perfectly?" He pointed at the row of buttons lining Don Carlos' _charro_ jacket, then at the spot where a button was missing. "The _alcalde_ hired this man to steal from the de la Calderons! And then he tried to pin the crime on an innocent young citizen!"

An indignant murmur arose from the crowd. The _alcalde_ looked frightened.

"Nonsense! I did no such thing!" He pointed a shaking finger at the _caballero_. "Sergeant, arrest that man and put him in irons!"

_"Si, mi alcalde!"_ Sergeant Mendoza raced down the gallows steps, grabbed a fuming Don Carlos by the arm, and led him toward the _alcalde's_ office. As Felipe watched, he grinned and took a deep breath.

"Don Alfonso! Here are your stolen possessions!" Zorro tossed the aged _caballero_ a sack. Don Alfonso and Doña Elena rummaged through it.

"_Gracias,_ Señor Zorro!" Doña Elena smiled.

Felipe descended the gallows steps. Don Alfonso and Doña Elena approached him; Don Alfonso set the sack down and untied Felipe's hands. "I never really believed _you_ were the thief, _amigo,_" he told the boy, laying a hand on his shoulder. Felipe smiled gratefully and nodded. Don Alfonso put his arm around Felipe's shoulders. Victoria raced toward them and hugged Felipe tightly, then kissed his cheek.

"Thank the good Lord you're safe!" she said. Felipe nodded as she hugged him again.

Zorro carved a Z on the _alcalde's_ jacket. He then held his saber's tip on the _alcalde's_ chest. His eyes narrowed into slits of rage; he pressed his lips into a tight line. A vein pulsated in his neck.

Felipe stared at the masked hero and shivered. Zorro had the same expression of rage on his face that he had worn when he had rescued Felipe from Señora Deranosa and her partner. _He's furious!_ Felipe thought. _Show him, Zorro! Show him!_

"If you _ever_ trouble Felipe again, or _any_ of the de la Vega servants," Zorro warned, "you're as good as dead! Understand?" His voice sounded ice-cold.

The _alcalde_ glared at him and nodded reluctantly. "Just wait till I get my hands on you," he hissed. "Then we will see who's as good as dead!"

Zorro grinned, but there was no grin in his eyes. "You'll have to catch me, first." He whistled, and Toronado galloped toward him. Zorro swung onto the saddle and rode toward the cheering crowd.

He stopped beside Felipe, Victoria, and the de la Calderons, and held out his hand. Felipe took it, and Zorro helped him climb up behind his beloved _patrón_. Zorro smiled affectionately at Victoria. "Lovely as ever." He bowed, and Victoria smiled back. She then smiled kindly at Felipe and touched his knee.

"You see, Felipe?" she said, softly. "I told you Zorro would save you." Felipe smiled gratefully and nodded. Zorro reached backward to pat the boy's side.

Zorro and Felipe rode out of town, as the crowd cheered. Felipe clung to Zorro from behind.

"Don't worry, Felipe," Zorro told him, as he turned Toronado east toward the de la Vega _hacienda_. "The _alcalde_ won't trouble you anymore. I've seen to that. When he enters his office, he's going to find his desk chair covered with glue!"

Felipe snickered at the thought. It would serve the _alcalde_ right!

_He saved me!_ he thought. _Zorro has rescued me! I was so wrong to doubt that he would._ Felipe sighed. _Thank You, God! Thank You!_ He leaned back slightly and made the sign of the cross.

**©1998 by KathyG. **


End file.
